Adhir Bhat has been associated with theatre since 2007. He does film and television as well. He is also a playwright, and takes a keen interest in poetry. He has acted in over 20 commercials and most recently, has been part of Bejoy Nambiar's film 'David'. He is most remembered for his role in the Akvarious production - THE INTERVIEW, written by Siddharth Kumar, and for his work with playwright Abhishek Majumdar's play GASHA. An eternal optimist, Adhir describes himself as a professional pillow fighter, among other things. We talk to him about his latest endeavour, MISS CUCKOO, which he has written, and which is set to premiere at the NCPA Centrestage festival this year.
By Nishtha Juneja
Nishtha Juneja (NJ): Is the play inspired by any Bollywood/Hollywood celebrity? We have had many examples of actors who couldn't accept the fact that they were fading away.
Adhir Bhat (AB): The play MISS CUCKOO is not really inspired by one particular celebrity, but instead is a depiction of what many people in the show business go through once their prime is over. I have always felt that stardom is gilded slavery. Someone once said that "Stardom is like making love in a hammock - a happy experience but one of uncertain duration." People become addicted to the glamour, and then don't know what to do or how to behave after their golden period. We keep reading stories about actors who couldn't accept the fact that they were fading away, and these stories have always affected me. I am an artist myself, and I know how devastating it is when no one acknowledges your work. I feel it is much tougher for a person in limelight to adjust to a normal life. There is nothing wrong in being a commoner; it's just a bit alien to the person who has got used to fame. A few years ago there were these stories about Nadira ji, the black and white film star who did a lot of films with Raj Kapoor and other actors. She was a big star in her time; she was one of the most sought after vamps in Hindi cinema. Cut to a few decades later, and it seemed as if time had forgotten her. She lived a life of isolation - lonely and depressed. I don't like that, and I don't wish it on anyone.
But ultimately, this play is not about the bad; it's about the good, the bigger picture, and the undying human spirit. Pain is real but so is hope. I am a very positive person, so I always believe that even if you accept finite disappointment, you should never lose infinite hope. And that is what the main character is all about. I feel absolutely blessed that someone like Seema Pahwa is playing the lead. Couldn't have asked for anything better! She's one of those actors who take the script beyond what anyone would have envisaged.
NJ: How have you envisaged the story?
AB: Akarsh Khurana and Meera Khurana, who is the director, had certain ideas about how they wanted the play to be. We met, devised a few scenes and talked about where we wanted the script to go. Then I started writing. Once we had a script, we sat with a great bunch of actors and read, taking in their suggestions. Kashin Shetty, Pawan Uttam, Dilshad Khurana and Aseem Hattangady, are all actors I have done a lot of work with, and I have absolute faith in their abilities. The script was never rigid. That's one of the greatest things about working with Akvarious. You can add or edit as per your liking and understanding, provided it is in sync with the larger theme. Once we incorporated the new ideas, we had a final version. Also, since the story is about a stage artist, we have songs in it. The songs have enhanced the setting and mood tremendously. Akash (Khurana) uncle has composed some amazing songs that reflect the bygone era.
NJ: You have been associated with Akvarious Productions for quite a while now. What has been the best thing about working with the group?
AB: I have been working with Akvarious Productions for about 9 years now. I have done more than 26 plays with them. It has been a enriching and rewarding experience for me. The best thing about working with the group is that everyone loves doing theatre. It's that simple. Really, I know it sounds a bit too simple but it's as straightforward as that. It is because of Akvarious that I found a higher purpose in life. I am an actor-writer. I do a lot of work in film and television also. But once I starting working in theatre, I knew that this was something that I will be doing for the rest of my life, irrespective of anything else. What I like about the group is that you are pushed to do your best. It is the process, the journey that is emphasized and not just the end result. So, at the end of the day, you are not just focussing on making a play, you are working at becoming better - in your craft, in your relationships, in your work ethic. That's what I love about Akvarious. You get to learn, you get to improve, and you get to laugh (a lot).
NJ: Who are your favourite writers?
AB: I have a lot of favourite writers. I read everything - fiction, nonfiction, plays, Hindi writing, film screenplays... The greatest part of a writer's time is spent in reading, in order to write. You have to turn over half a library to write one piece of good work. Sometimes when I feel absolutely hopeless while writing, (which is quite a lot), I read about what writers have to say about writing. And thankfully, many of them say that we are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master. Among the Indian playwrights, I absolutely love Siddharth Kumar. I think his play The INTERVIEW is one of the best contemporary plays of our times. It's sharp, witty and has some amazing perfomances.
The other writer I enjoy is Abhishek Majumdar, who runs Indian Ensemble in Bangalore. I worked with him on our META (Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards) award-winning play GASHA. He is someone who has a totally different thought process. He loves improvising and rehearsing for long hours (8-12 hours sometimes). It's like a boot camp, but nonetheless, it is a transformative experience. His writing always hits home with core issues.
I keep reading and re-reading books that help you improve as a person and understand life in a better way - books like Man's Search for Meaning by Victor E Frankl, The Power of Now by Ekhart Tolle, The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown, Mindset by Carol Dweck and any book by Tony Robbins and Malcolm Gladwell. And of course, Faiz and Ghalib. I am a big fan of poetry. When I was in school in Kashmir, Urdu was part of our syllabus and I just got hooked to Urdu poetry. I try to incorporate it whenever I can; I love it so much. I have included Faiz in MISS CUCKOO as well.
My dream is to see Indian theatre achieve international acceptance. I love the work that groups like Rage, QTP, Ansh, Indian Ensemble, etc keep doing. I hope we all can keep on working towards making theatre more acceptable and reachable to people. Also, I feel blessed to be on this creative journey with people like Akarsh Khurana. We have seen a lot together and continue to aim for higher grounds. Our sincere aim is not to compete with others, but to out do ourselves...
Like Iqbal says :
Khird-mandon se kya poochun ki meri ibtida kya hai...
Ke main iss fikr mein rehtaa hoon, Meri Intehaa kya hai...
Nishtha Juneja likes to act and write about theatre. Nishtha Juneja is passionate about dance and food and has completed a post-graduate diploma in Journalism from the Xavier Institute for Communication (XIC).
